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Hurdle ejected for fourth time this season

Hurdle ejected for fourth time this season

7/25/13: Clint Hurdle is ejected for arguing after the umpires rule Pedro Alvarez out, saying he made the turn for second after a single

By Tom Singer
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MLB.com |

WASHINGTON -- Pirates manager Clint Hurdle was ejected at the conclusion of the top of the seventh inning of Thursday afternoon's game against the Nationals for arguing a call at first base.

Pedro Alvarez had singled with two outs, when his grounder squirreled under the glove of second baseman Steve Lombardozzi into short right field.

When shortstop Ian Desmond retrieved the ball and threw to first baseman Adam LaRoche, Alvarez was called out by umpire Laz Diaz, who ruled Alvarez had made a turn toward second base.

Hurdle came out of the dugout to protest the call, and he quickly got the boot from Diaz. It was the Pittsburgh skipper's fourth ejection of the season.

A few innings earlier, his counterpart, Washington's Davey Johnson, had been ejected by home-plate umpire Mike Winters for coming to the defense of Desmond, who was objecting to a called third strike.

Tom Singer is a reporter for MLB.com and writes an MLBlog Change for a Nickel. He can also be found on Twitter @Tom_Singer. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.